Technical Field
This application relates to a surgical stapling apparatus, and more particularly, to a linear surgical stapling instrument that includes a knife.
Background of Related Art
Surgical instruments wherein tissue is first grasped or clamped between opposing jaw structure and then joined by surgical fasteners are well known in the art. In some surgical instruments a knife is provided to cut the tissue which has been joined by the fasteners. The fasteners are typically in the form of surgical staples but two part polymeric fasteners can also be utilized.
Surgical instruments for this purpose can include two elongated members which are respectively used to capture or clamp tissue. Typically, one of the members is a staple cartridge which includes a tissue contacting surface and houses a plurality of staples arranged in at least two lateral rows while the other member is an anvil which includes an anvil plate as the tissue contacting surface and defines a surface for forming the staple legs as the staples are driven from the staple cartridge. Generally, the stapling operation is effected by a cam bar, a drive sled or other similar mechanism, that travels longitudinally through the staple cartridge and acts upon staple pushers to sequentially eject the staples from the staple cartridge. A knife can travel between the staple rows to longitudinally cut and/or open the stapled tissue between the rows of staples.
In endoscopic or laparoscopic procedures, surgery is performed through a small incision or through a narrow cannula inserted through small entrance wounds in the skin. In order to address the specific needs of endoscopic and/or laparoscopic surgical procedures, endoscopic surgical stapling instruments have been developed. An example of an endoscopic surgical stapling instrument is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,070,033 to Milliman et al. and U.S. Patent App. Pub. No. 2014/0103092 to Kostrzewski et al. and the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
It would be extremely beneficial to provide a surgical instrument for use during laparoscopic and/or endoscopic surgical procedures that can be employed to improve the ability to cut tissue, reducing the force required by the operator and increasing the fatigue life of the surgical instrument.